Here's a homemade carpet cleaning formula for general spills that's easy to make and will work on many stains. The sooner you get the stain up, the easier it will be to remove. Simply mix equal parts hot water and liquid detergent and stir well. The hotter the water the better, but use caution not to get burned in the process.

Use a porous cloth to blot the solution into your carpet, rub it in gently, then rinse it with a clean hot water rag then finish by drying with a clean rag. Be sure to get all the detergent up so that a residue is not left behind.

For Chewing Gum, remove as much of it as you can with a plastic baggy. The gum adheres to the plastic baggy. Next apply ice to the gum that is left in order to freeze it. Once frozen the gum becomes easy to pick from the rug fibers.

Grease Stains can often be removed using undiluted isopropyl alcohol. Blot the area and then wash with the homemade carpet cleaning formula. If that doesn’t get it all, apply a few drops of fresh hydrogen peroxide and wash again with the homemade carpet cleaning formula.

Pet Urine leaves a very strong and unpleasant smell and it's very acidic. It’s also difficult to get rid of. The sooner the urine is removed from the carpet the easier it will be to get rid of the odor. If you aren't able to rid the carpet of the odor on your own you may want to consider having a professional treat the spots with enzyme solution.

First, to try it on your own, use the homemade carpet cleaning formula described above. Rinse the area well and apply undiluted white vinegar to the area. Blot the vinegar in well then rub it in deep. Next allow the area to partially dry until it is just damp.

Now apply baking soda liberally to the area and allow the carpet to dry completely. Allow the baking soda to remain on the carpet for 24 hours and then vacuum it up thoroughly.

If the smell is still present you can try again by mixing a solution of 2:1 water and vinegar and add baking soda in. Saturate the areas with the solution on the areas and let the solution stay in for 12 hours. This is an alkaline solution which should neutralize the acidic urine.

Vacuum the area up later and if the smell still persists, enzymes would be the only other remedy. The strong vinegar smell will gradually dissipate within about 12 hours after it is rinsed well.

Red Wine Stains, again stains are easier to get up when they are fresh. Use the homemade carpet cleaning formula and general spill process first. Next pour some milk or club soda on the stain. Blot and wash with the carpet cleaning formula again.

If the red wine is still there mix another solution of equal parts liquid detergent and fresh hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide isn't as effective if it isn't fresh. Apply the solution to stain. Blot it well and reapply as needed, rinsing with hot water. If it's coming up continue the process.

Spilled Ink can sometimes be removed by first saturating the area with hair spray and allowing the area to dry. Next, mix a solution of one part hot water to one part white vinegar and pour it over the stain. Brush the area lightly with an old toothbrush until the stain starts to come up. Rinse it by blotting the area with hot water rag. Apply the solution again and scrub with the toothbrush again. You may need to repeat the process several times until it comes up.